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Resumption of ovarian function after 4 years of estro-progestin treatment in a young woman with Crohn’s disease and premature ovarian insufficiency: a case report

  • Gonadal Physiology and Disease
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To report the long-term management of a case of premature ovarian insufficiency of unknown origin in a young woman with Crohn’s disease.

Method

Here is reported the case of a 20 years old woman with Cronh’s disease presenting with two years amenorrhea and FSH and LH levels of 255 mIU/ml and 182 mIU/ml respectively, who received 10 months corticosteroid treatment followed by 7 years of estro-progestin treatment.

Results

Corticosteroid treatment was ineffective in restoring patients gonadotropin levels as well as ovarian volume, while estro-progestins promoted a prompt reduction in gonadotrophin levels, which returned in the normal range after two years of treatment, as well as restoration of ovarian function, which occurred after four years of estrogens administration, as demonstrated by normal ovarian volume and ovulatory follicles at ultrasound, and by the re-establishment of regular menses after estroprogestin discontinuation.

Conclusions

Long-term suppression of the endogenous gonadotropins using estroprogestins may be suggested as a treatment able to restore ovarian responsiveness even in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency showing highly elevated gonadotropin levels.

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Conflict of interest statement and funding

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ASL Bari, IVF Unit, P.O. Conversano, Via Edmondo De Amicis 5, 70014, Conversano, Ba, Italy

    Ettore Caroppo & Giuseppe D’Amato

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  1. Ettore Caroppo
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  2. Giuseppe D’Amato
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Correspondence to Ettore Caroppo.

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Caroppo, E., D’Amato, G. Resumption of ovarian function after 4 years of estro-progestin treatment in a young woman with Crohn’s disease and premature ovarian insufficiency: a case report. J Assist Reprod Genet 29, 973–977 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9816-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9816-9

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